


Find What You'd Die For And Live For It

by donttouchtheneednoggle



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Episode: s05e02 Arthur's Bane, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, possibly anachronistic chess, sad beans, sibling feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26560078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donttouchtheneednoggle/pseuds/donttouchtheneednoggle
Summary: Percival and Gwaine have been captured. Elyan hasn't.
Relationships: Elyan & Gwaine (Merlin), Elyan & Gwen (Merlin), Elyan/Gwaine/Percival (Merlin), Elyan/Percival (Merlin), Gwaine/Percival (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	Find What You'd Die For And Live For It

He sat on the edge of his bed, knees drawn up to his chest, arms wrapped round his body.

He didn't cry, couldn’t cry, it was too bad for crying. He just stared into the darkness.

How long had it been? Days, a week, he couldn’t remember.

Morgana had Gwaine again. Morgana had Gwaine and this time he wasn’t even there with him.

What was she doing to him, he wondered, terrified. How would Gwaine cope?

Elyan had only to think of that week stuck in that godforsaken cell, watching Gwaine get bloodier and bloodier, Gaius weaker and weaker and himself able to do squarely nothing, and he would start trembling uncontrollably. God knew what Gwaine was going through, if he was even still alive.

And worse, even worse, Morgana had Percival too.

Steady, gentle Percival. Bright, ridiculous Gwaine. He thought of their kindness, their mischief, their love, gone forever. It was unbearable.

And he had failed. He had failed to find them, and Gwen wouldn’t let him try again. And he couldn’t leave her when Arthur wasn’t there.

Gwen...

“Elyan?” He started at the soft voice, and looked over to see his sister standing in the doorway in her nightgown.

“I couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d come and see how you were.”

He shrugged, still hunched round himself. Gwen came over to sit beside him on the bed and put an arm round him, rubbing his back in gentle circles.

“They’ll be all right,” she whispered.

He merely smiled bitterly through clenched teeth. She didn’t know that.

"Ellie," she cajoled softly. "Talk to me." Her strong arms wrapped round him and pulled him onto her lap like she used to when they were little and she would tell him stories.

He snuggled against her shoulder and all at once the dam broke and he was sobbing, sobbing as she rested her chin on the top of his head and let her own tears fall.

Eventually the crying subsided and they just stared into the darkness, Gwen absently stroking his hair.

"Arthur’s out there. I’m sorry."

She shook her head. "It's his job, Elyan. He'll be all right, he's got Merlin. And so will they."

But her face in the moonlight was ragged with worry.

"I don't think I can sleep," he confessed, staring at the bed that was far too big for one when three usually occupied it.

She tried to smile. "Me neither."

Suddenly she lit up. She gently pushed him to his feet and stood up. "Sit there" she ordered.

Curious, he settled himself in the floor and watched as she hunted in the cupboards for something.

When she sat down opposite him she reached over and dragged the blankets from the bed, wrapping one around his shoulders and the other round herself.

Between them she set the chessboard they had had since they were kids, though it had previously had a more illustrious owner.

'Remember when Leon taught us how to play?" Gwen asked, grinning a little.

A fond smile tugged at his mouth despite everything. “He was so smug that he could finally teach us something."

Gwen laughed, then she stopped setting up the game to gaze at him. "I love you, you know."

"You too." he said quietly. His sister. What would he do without her.

They played games until the sun rose, and a new day of waiting began.

........

"Percival!" Two days later. the shout was torn from him, a frantic, disbelieving sound.

He lurched towards the knight in a blurred haze, barely aware of Gwen embracing Arthur, of Merlin standing alone looking oddly miserable.

He frantically scanned the thronging crowd of red cloaks for Gwaine, but everything blurred into nothingness as he reached Percival and flung himself at him, clinging to him with his arms and legs as though his life depended on it.

"Elyan," Percival breathed joyously, holding him just as tightly as the shorter man struggled not to break down.

After a bit he prized him away just enough so they could kiss, haphazard and desperate.

"Well don't mind me, not like I nearly died or anything."

Elyan's head whipped round and his tear filled eyes narrowed as he took in the long haired knight standing there, hair perfect, idiotic grin lighting his face despite the heavy shadows under his eyes.

He stalked towards him and stood there glowering for a moment, before his face split into an uncontrollable smile and he launched himself at him.

"Don’t. Fucking. Do. That." he growled, wrapping his arms round him in a hug so tight it hurt.

"We're ok Elyan, promise." Gwaine said as he let go, snagging Percival round the waist and kissing him.

They both grinned at him and he knew they were putting on an act for his sake. They were mostly unhurt, but they looked worn down and utterly exhausted.

He shook his head. "I thought you were dead, I thought-" and all of a sudden he was sobbing so hard he couldn’t breathe, and he sank to the ground and Percival was holding him and now Gwaine was too.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, a tangle of limbs clinging to each other, but by the time they rose and walked back to the castle hand in hand they were laughing again.

Elyan didn't think he let go of them all the rest of that day, not until he lay that night with his head resting against Percival's steady heartbeat, Gwaine’s snores rumbling in his ear.

Still, he couldn't settle.

The heavy dread was still there, and he knew it would never really leave.

 _If he had lost them_ \- but no, they were alive, they were here.

He reached over and wrapped one arm round Gwaine’s waist, slipping the other under Percival’s shoulders and pulling them both closer.

"All right?" Percival mumbled sleepily, pressing a kiss behind his ear, and Gwaine nuzzled his head closer to him without his snoring missing a beat.

Finally Elyan let himself breathe, and nodded silently in answer.

Tomorrow they would wake in the hazy morning sunlight. They would share lazy kisses and doze in the cool sheets, and everything would be blissful and easy again.

Tonight, he held them in the fierce circle of his arms, and he knew as long as they stayed that way: together, always, everything would be all right.

**Author's Note:**

> *don't think about what happens later don't think about what happens later don't think-*  
> Comment and kudos appreciated :')
> 
> Come hang out on [tumblr](https://donttouchtheneednoggle.tumblr.com/)!


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